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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22478341">For Each Other</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katharija/pseuds/Katharija'>Katharija</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Self-Doubt, Short One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 12:02:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,125</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22478341</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katharija/pseuds/Katharija</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They are so tired in the end, of the empty word words and deafening silence when they both stop suddenly in a dimly lit corridor. "I’m sorry", Tonks says and her eyes beg him to not let her go. They are so tired they wake up late the next morning and Remus begs her to stay while his every kiss says, "I’m sorry".</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>For Each Other</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            A translation of

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/10330196">Dla siebie nawzajem</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katharija/pseuds/Katharija">Katharija</a>.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It is just kindness, Tonks thinks at first, that he remembers how she likes her tea and that he asks about her job and laughs at her jokes. He does not interrupt her so Tonks tells him about metamorphosing and her family, about her parents that she has never lied to before; he does not seem bored when they discuss music and justice, eye shapes and betrayals. It should not be of surprise to her because they are forced to hide so much every day and there is only so much solitude one can take. The months pass then and he still listens, even when she feels like she has said too much.</p><p>It is just kindness, Remus thinks at first, that she smiles when she sees him and greets him with enthusiasm and laughs at his jokes. She assures him she does not mind when they are sent for missions together and when they stay up late complaining about the war; she does not seem to mind spending time with him at all, no matter the conversation topic. It should not be of surprise to him because none of them can be open with other people and there is only so much solitude one can take. The months pass then and her eyes still lit up at the sight of him and he cannot get enough.</p><p>In the beginning, he smiles kindly at every new haircut she comes up with and there is nothing weird about it because out of all people, he would know how it feels to be judged at the first glance. He seems to notice more as the time passes, he compliments the colour of her eyes and the shape of her brows, subtle experiments with cheekbones; one day she reflects that he has a great memory when it comes to faces. It takes her a long while to notice that no matter if she looks like a bubble gum ad, an old lady or the most inconspicuous girl, he looks at her in the same way.</p><p>In the beginning, she takes his hand kindly as if he was a human worth touching and there is nothing weird about it because out of all people, she would care to treat everyone as her equal. She seems to touch him more as the time passes, she catches his arm when she loses balance, takes his hand so often it becomes natural, her kisses lingering on his cheek; one day he reflects that she shows affection in a very physical way. It takes him a long while to notice that no matter how much he restrains himself the way in which she looks at him still makes his skin burn.</p><p>When she kisses him finally it does not feel as if she was kissing pitiful Remus and his dark secrets nor does she seem to care about the lean muscles hidden under too-big sweaters. She kisses him as if she was determined to push through every single barrier he has built through the years, she pulls him closer as if she wanted to kiss the most vulnerable part of his soul and he feels like being seventeen again, not knowing what to do with his hands and the growing fear that this kiss could lead to something more.</p><p>When he kisses her back it does not feel as if he was kissing clumsy Tonks with her funny pink hair nor does he seem to care about the slim silhouette hidden under too-loose robes. He kisses her as if he was kissing some other girl, so much more precious and wonderful, he holds her in place as if he wanted the moment to last forever and she feels like being some stranger adult woman suddenly, not knowing what to do with her rushed heartbeat and the growing hope that this kiss could lead to something more.</p><p>He runs because he has always believed that love is something one can avoid, just a word defined between friendship and lust. He runs because if he stayed, he would have to open up his soul, he would have to let her examine every scar, look in the mirror of her eyes and deal with what he might see.</p><p>She fights because she has always believed that love cannot be escaped, not with the way in which it exceeds any other feeling. She fights because if she gave up, she would have to lose him, she would have to let him suffer alone, look into the torment of his eyes and admit she can do nothing to help.</p><p>They are so tired in the end, of the empty word words and deafening silence when they both stop suddenly in a dimly lit corridor. <em>I’m sorry</em>, Tonks says and her eyes beg him to not let her go. They are so tired they wake up late the next morning and Remus begs her to stay while his every kiss says, <em>I’m sorry</em>.</p><p>When he runs away the last time, Tonks finds herself in a quiet room, in the place she used to call home. She lies down in the safe darkness, feeling tears running down her cheeks and she tries not to think of losing her husband and of how little time they had, of all the ways in which he was caring and cautious and yet how he has chosen to hurt her so deeply. She thinks of their child instead, her child who might be cursed and does not deserve to have a coward for a father and for the first time in her life she is not sure if she can find enough strength to live.</p><p>When she goes to fight the last time, Remus finds himself amidst deadly chaos, in the place he used to call home. He stands in the crossfire, feeling blood running down his face and he tries not to think of losing his wife and of how little time they had, of all the ways in which she was fearless and self-reliant and yet how she has chosen to give him a second chance. He thinks of their son instead, his son that is nothing but cursed and does not deserve to have a coward for a father and for the first time in his life he is sure that he can find enough strength to live.</p><p>
  <em>“I was never in love before,” admits Remus when asked about the people he used to be with and Tonks chuckles into her teacup and she does not seem to believe it. </em>
  <em>"They were nothing like you,” admits Tonks when asked about the people she was in love with and Remus smiles over his teacup and he does not seem to understand it.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't have much respect for JKR in general and I definitely hate what she did to two of my favourite characters but I somehow always end up telling their story in the most canonic way possible. This is not a 1:1 translation but the original author doesn't seem to mind (it me, I'm the original author). I was quite proud of the style in this one which is why it took me three years to feel confident enough in my second language to translate it and I kinda hope it kept both the flow and the meaning.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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